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Tired of dull day to day life? Seeking some outgoing adventurous activities? You should consider some of the fantastic Ecotourism Australia certified tour providers who specialise in climbing and adventure!

Riverlife Adventure Centre – QLD

Located just outside the heart of the Brisbane CBD at Kangaroo Point, Riverlife Adventure Centre runs instructed abseiling and rock climbing activities for young and old. For anyone living in or visiting Brisbane this is a great opportunity to get into cliffside rock climbing and abseiling with great views of Brisbane city. Rock climbing can be undertaken during the day or at night on weekends with the Riverlife Adventure Centre lighting up the cliff side with vibrant colours and spotlights.

Raging Thunder Adventures – QLD

Comprising of abseils, rappels, rock slides, cliff jumps and ziplines, Raging Thunder Adventures’ Ecotourism certified Cairns canyoning tour is a half day adventure through the Crystal Cascades waterfall series and is a great introduction to Australian canyoning only a 25 minute drive from Cairns city. This one is a little more adventurous than your typical climbing experience as canyoning is the process of travelling through canyons by utilising climbing techniques and riding natural waterfalls. Be prepared to get a little wet with this one! No prior experience is needed, and the tour is open to children over the age of eight.

Cradle Mountain Canyons – Tas

Another great Ecotourism Australia certified canyoning experience can be found in Tasmania. Cradle Mountain Canyons has two Nature Tourism certified canyoning tours that can cater to first timers and experienced canyoners.  The Lost World Canyon tour is a great introduction to canyoning suitable for children aged eight and up, with all obstacles being optional. Strong swimming skills are not needed to complete this tour, so it is perfect for first timers.  The Dove Tail Canyon tour is for more experienced travellers, where, while no canyoning experience is necessary, there is a minimum requirement of being at least 15 years old with reasonable swimming skills and decent fitness levels. This is their most popular tour and features six waterfalls which require a mix of sliding, climbing and abseiling to overcome. A great adventure for anyone seeking something different!

K7 Adventures – NWS

Now this is where the “and more” come into this article! Outside of offering eight different rock climbing and abseiling tours catering to both beginners and experts, K7 Adventures brings some truly unique and adventurous experiences to the table for those seeking something a little off the beaten track. K7 Adventures offers winter season mountaineering tours and courses that include ice climbing, snow climbing and an avalanche skills course that is both Advanced Ecotourism certified and accredited by the Canadian Avalanche Association who set the standards for avalanche education best practice. While some of these activities might not be for everyone, they offer a unique experience for anyone up for a challenge.

With so many great climbing adventures out there, now is a great time to book in a tour to plan your next adventure!

[All photos retrieved from operator websites and social media]

Tired of dull day to day life? Seeking some outgoing adventurous activities? You should consider some of the fantastic Ecotourism Australia certified tour providers who specialise in climbing and adventure!

Riverlife Adventure Centre – QLD

Located just outside the heart of the Brisbane CBD at Kangaroo Point, Riverlife Adventure Centre runs instructed abseiling and rock climbing activities for young and old. For anyone living in or visiting Brisbane this is a great opportunity to get into cliffside rock climbing and abseiling with great views of Brisbane city. Rock climbing can be undertaken during the day or at night on weekends with the Riverlife Adventure Centre lighting up the cliff side with vibrant colours and spotlights.

Raging Thunder Adventures – QLD

Comprising of abseils, rappels, rock slides, cliff jumps and ziplines, Raging Thunder Adventures’ Ecotourism certified Cairns canyoning tour is a half day adventure through the Crystal Cascades waterfall series and is a great introduction to Australian canyoning only a 25 minute drive from Cairns city. This one is a little more adventurous than your typical climbing experience as canyoning is the process of travelling through canyons by utilising climbing techniques and riding natural waterfalls. Be prepared to get a little wet with this one! No prior experience is needed, and the tour is open to children over the age of eight.

Cradle Mountain Canyons – Tas

Another great Ecotourism Australia certified canyoning experience can be found in Tasmania. Cradle Mountain Canyons has two Nature Tourism certified canyoning tours that can cater to first timers and experienced canyoners.  The Lost World Canyon tour is a great introduction to canyoning suitable for children aged eight and up, with all obstacles being optional. Strong swimming skills are not needed to complete this tour, so it is perfect for first timers.  The Dove Tail Canyon tour is for more experienced travellers, where, while no canyoning experience is necessary, there is a minimum requirement of being at least 15 years old with reasonable swimming skills and decent fitness levels. This is their most popular tour and features six waterfalls which require a mix of sliding, climbing and abseiling to overcome. A great adventure for anyone seeking something different!

K7 Adventures – NWS

Now this is where the “and more” come into this article! Outside of offering eight different rock climbing and abseiling tours catering to both beginners and experts, K7 Adventures brings some truly unique and adventurous experiences to the table for those seeking something a little off the beaten track. K7 Adventures offers winter season mountaineering tours and courses that include ice climbing, snow climbing and an avalanche skills course that is both Advanced Ecotourism certified and accredited by the Canadian Avalanche Association who set the standards for avalanche education best practice. While some of these activities might not be for everyone, they offer a unique experience for anyone up for a challenge.

With so many great climbing adventures out there, now is a great time to book in a tour to plan your next adventure!

[All photos retrieved from operator websites and social media]

Mr. Luigi Cabrini, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) was given an Honorary Fellowship for his “profound contributions to the environment, economy, and society.” On July 29th, the Social Enterprise Research Academy (SERA) hosted the ‘Fellowship & Honorary Award Presentation Ceremony 2019’ at Hong Kong Baptist University. […]

The post GSTC Chair, Luigi Cabrini, Honored for His Profound Contribution to Economy, Society, and Environment appeared first on Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC).

The GSTC Board of Directors plays an integral role in the leadership of the organization. Most seats on the board are filled via annual elections of and by current members of the Council. The GSTC Election Committee has validated the votes and has released the results. Three current board members were re-elected to 3-year […]

The post GSTC Announces the Results of its 2019 Board of Directors Election appeared first on Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC).

Are you looking to overcome a fear of heights, seeking a high-flying adventure experience, or maybe just a fun day out for the family this winter?

This week we are looking at high ropes and ziplining courses throughout Australia that will get your spirits – and bodies – soaring. There are plenty of ECO certified ziplining and high ropes adventure courses around the country that will help you overcome physical challenges and allow you to fly over lush rainforest canopies in some of the most adventurous activities in the country.

TreeTop Challenge

Located in Mount Tamborine, just under an hour’s drive from Brisbane and the Gold Coast, TreeTop Challenge has over 120 high ropes activities including 10 flying foxes and a mix of beginner, intermediate and extreme high ropes courses. Spread across nine acres of tropical rainforest, the Treetop Challenge adventure park is Advanced Ecotourism certified and takes about 3-4 hours to complete. The adventure park is designed for ages eight and up and requires no previous experience. For families with younger children, TreeTop Challenge also operates the largest junior ziplining course in the country with over 50 activities designed for children aged three to eight.

TreeTops

Operating high ropes courses and tree-top adventures (including in gigantic inflatable balls!) across New South Wales, TreeTops offer a fantastic array of adventures for people of all ages, from flying foxes to climbing nets and monkey bridges to the fastest rollercoaster ziplines in the world. These eco-friendly adventure activities are great for fitness, exhilarating to attempt and gentle on the environment. Check out all their locations and certified activities here. 

Jungle Adventures Cape Tribulation

This business has specially developed its ziplining platforms with best practise in mind, creating these without the use of nails and attaching them to trees with a non-intrusive friction system that holds the platforms to the outside of the trees. A two-hour ziplining tour with Jungle Adventures Cape Tribulation starts off with the world’s first human hamster wheel cable lift to get you up into the canopy, where you can glide over the rainforest with views of the Great Barrier Reef. This is a great way to experience some of the best of Australian ziplining.

Jungle Tours and Trekking

If you’re looking for a diverse day out, Jungle Tours and Trekking take visitors from Cairns or Port Douglas on their Go Jungle Surfing day tour,  which includes Port Douglas Wildlife Habitat reserve, a tropical lunch, ziplining with the previously mentioned Jungle Adventures Cape Tribulation, and a dinner-time cruise along the Daintree river. Now that’s a fun day out!

Enchanted Adventure Garden and Treesurfing

Situated in the beautiful hinterland of Arthurs Seat in Victoria, Enchanted Adventure Garden and Tree Surfing has high ropes courses and ziplines for all ages from four years and up. With the tree surfing nippers adventure course designed for children ages four to 12, with three levels of challenge for them to tackle, and the tree surfing grand designed for visitors over 12, with over 50 aerial obstacles and five ziplines, there is no shortage of challenge and fun for your family to overcome any fear of heights and enjoy a great day out.

High ropes courses and ziplining are a great way to experience some of the best of Australian tourism without disturbing the natural environment. All of the above are Ecotourism Australia certified companies that are leading the way in sustainable, adventurous high-flying experiences.

For more adventure inspiration, check out our Green Travel Guide.

[All photos retrieved from operator websites and social media. Header image: TreeTop Challenge] 

Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA) initiated the National Sustainable Tourism Certification (NSTC) as the first step towards making Sri Lanka’s tourism industry sustainable with the technical and financial assistance from UNDP Biodiversity Finance Initiative (BIOFIN). As part of the process, hotels were awarded for their sustainable practices on 5th August 2019 at Ape Game, […]

The post Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA) Awards Hotels through the National Sustainable Tourism Certification (NSTC) appeared first on Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC).

A unique opportunity exists to undertake research on best practice ecotourism management and help shape the future of this growing industry.

Background

In November 2018, Ecotourism Australia (EA) signed a partnership agreement with The University of Queensland (UQ), in order to encourage collaboration to better understand ecotourism and improve its outcomes for communities and EA members. This agreement arose from an increased awareness of global sustainability issues, ongoing growth in the sector and a need to address management challenges with evidence-based decision-making.

PhD Scholarships

Four (4) PhD scholarships have just been announced, offered by UQ in partnership with EA, to encourage research into the continual development of best practice management of ecotourism. Supervision will be provided by UQ academics with input from Ecotourism Australia experts.

Scholarship value

The scholarship offers a living stipend of $27,596 per annum. It also includes tuition fees and, for successful international applicants, Overseas Student Health Cover.

Eligibility

Of the four (4) scholarships currently available, three (3) are available to Australian Citizens, Australian Permanent Residents and New Zealand citizens and the other is available to an international or domestic student. Prospective students are invited to apply for one, or even all, of the projects advertised. Consideration will be given to Australian domestic students and international students. Each successful student will work on one of the projects below.

Find out more about the scholarships.

Find out more about eligibility requirements.

With the cool winter weather around the country, now is a great time to get out for some adventurous activities to warm you up. This week we are looking into certified mountain biking tour operators around the country who will have you up and riding like a professional off-road mountain biker in no time!

Photo: Barrington Outdoor Adventure Centre, NSW

Barrington Outdoor Adventure Centre – NSW

Starting off in New South Wales, the Barrington Outdoor Adventure Centre is Ecotourism certified and hosts activities in and around The Steps Barrington Campground. Guests to the campground can access the bike park for free while day trippers will have to book ahead for a $5 entry fee. The Barrington bike park consists of a 3.5km cross country loop suitable for all skill levels, a pump track for a hard uphill ride and a dedicated mountain biking obstacle course dubbed the playground. Be sure to bring your own bike or find a rental from a local store before heading out to the bike park for a day of family mountain biking fun.

Photo: K7 Adventures

K7 Adventures – NSW

While not operating mountain biking during the winter months due to the snowy change in conditions, we thought it was worth mentioning Advanced Ecotourism certified K7 Adventures and their cross-country mountain biking tours, as these can take you into some of the most remote and stunning areas of the Thredbo Mountain Range. With options for a half day, full day or multi day cross country mountain biking adventure with various options for different skill levels, it’s worth remembering this one for the summer season!

Photo: Walkabout Creek Adventures

Walkabout Creek Adventures – QLD

Situated just 20 minutes from the Brisbane CBD, Walkabout Creek Adventures run three Nature certified mountain biking tours around the Enoggera Reservoir within the D’Aguilar National Park. Walkabout Creek Adventures has tours for every level of experience, ranging from short one-hour long beginner trails around the reservoir to two-and-a-half-hour trail tours for intermediate riders that show off the stunning scenery of the national park. Daily biking skills courses at 11am ensure even beginner riders are able to learn the skills they need for a day out mountain biking. Walkabout Creek Adventures can also provide bike hire and equipment if necessary.

Photo: Southern Exposure

Southern Exposure – VIC

If you’re down in Victoria and looking for an adventurous tour activity to warm you up, Southern Exposure offers three different Ecotourism certified guided mountain biking tours. Outfitted with high quality biking equipment, mountain biking tours range from a two-hour single track to a full day exploration throughout the Otway Ranges and the trails surrounding Lake Elizabeth to the Yaugher Trail Head, Red Carpet and the Roller Coaster. Throughout your tours with Southern Exposure you will not only get a great workout but learn about mountain biking techniques and the environmental impact of mountain biking from industry experts.

Photo: Surf n’ Dirt Adventure Tours Margaret River

Surf n’ Dirt Adventure Tours Margaret River – WA

If you’re seeking an adventurous day out in Western Australia, then you should consider Surf N’ Dirt Adventure Tours Margret River. This business runs combined mountain biking, kayaking and wine tasting tours, mountain biking through the Boranup Forest and kayaking along the Blackwood River before finishing up with a picnic lunch and a visit to the Arlewood Estate winery. Mountain biking gear and equipment are supplied, and each tour chooses their difficulty level prior to the tour’s commencement, so that visitors of any skill levels can make the most of the trip.

Planning on going mountain biking this winter season?
Tell us about it in the comments!

[Cover image: Surf n’ Dirt Adventure Tours Margaret River]